bite back

From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishbite back phrasal verb1SAY bite something ↔ back to stop yourself from saying or showing what you really thinkTamar bit back the retort that sprang to her lips.2REVENGEto react strongly and angrily to something atDetermined to bite back at car thieves, he wired his car to an electric fence. →bite→ See Verb table